US

There are many partisan responses to this question. Of course, internationally, the United States is regarded by many people to be the gold standard of what constitutes a democracy (perhaps because the US was the first nation that was born out of a successful revolution against an existing dictatorship and that quickly produced a written Constitution, which endorses many democratic principles and which lasts proudly till the present day). However, that reputation is not a substantive answer to the question as to whether the United States is today a democracy.

It appears Syria and Russia are working one location. As Turkish backed rebels work another. Moving on Idlib? Limited fighting? Something else? Perhaps cooperative? In the spirit of Adana? 

• Settling Syria? Impending Tripartite Talks..

What does it all mean?VOA

Oped from the StarIt's not as if the attempts to overthrow the Venezuelan government are being hidden. Obfuscated behind the usual weasel wording. But not hidden.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who has been a national political leader since 1972, decided, at the age of 76, to run for president of the United States. Biden’s videotaped announcement stressed that Donald Trump’s acquiescence of the August 2017 neo-Nazi and white supremacist “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia was changing the very fabric of the United States. Biden took a commanding lead in the opinion polls, leading the over 20 other Democratic contenders.

The lawlessness of the US government, or more accurately “regime”, knows no bounds, as can be seen more than ever from the failed coup attempt in Venezuela this week.
The initial so-called “uprising” by a tiny group of Venezuelan military – reportedly armed with US assault rifles instead of standard firearms – was blatantly incited by senior White House officials on prime time media. The misconduct openly engaged in by the US is in total violation of international law and UN Charter principles upholding the sovereignty of nations.

Authored by Mike Whitney via The Unz Review:

Your Geopolitical Quiz for the Day:
Two countries are embroiled in a ferocious rivalry. One country’s meteoric growth has put it on a path to become the world’s biggest economic superpower while the other country appears to be slipping into irreversible decline. Which country will lead the world into the future?

1- Syria: ISIS returns through the Syrian Desert (Iraq)

 Washington Times

Raqqa, flattenedI’d expect this was done with the intent to create these unstable feral cities on Syrian territory. Making them a laboratory for experimentation on military strategy and of course how humans can adapt to such horrific surroundings.Certainly the concept of “Feral Cities” was created for a strategic military purpose. In plain talk this was not happenstance. This is military doctrine.

  Yes indeed the KurdIShIS special relationship is finally getting more attention. To which I can only say “It’s about time” people see what is right in front of their eyes!!  Not only is it about time, it’s long, long overdue.  I want to tip my hat to Scott at nomadic everyman who was the ONLY other blogger/truth teller who had caught on to the plain sight collusion between Kurds/ISIS, aside from myself.   This collusion has been well obfuscated by the media. Alt and mainstream.